Umar Gul inspires Pakistan to unlikely win over South Africa

Shoaib Malik was out for 12, caught by Steyn off KallisISHARA S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images

Umar Gul was the unlikely hero with the bat as Pakistan survived a middle-order collapse to beat South Africa by two wickets in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20.

Pakistan, chasing South Africa’s modest 133 for six, crashed to 76 for seven in the fifteenth over before Gul and Umar Akmal combined to share a match-winning partnership of 49 in 27 balls.

Gul smashed two fours and three sixes in his 32 off 17 balls before he was dismissed off the last ball of the nineteenth over by Dale Steyn, the fast bowler, with nine more needed. But Akmal, who remained unbeaten on 43, and Saeed Ajmal steered Pakistan home with two balls to spare, Ajmal edging the winning boundary off Morne Morkel.